Farmers’ Market

Don’t miss some well-kept secrets this summer

I have to admit my bias towards the Homer Farmers’ Market. Sure, I have been writing weekly for ages extolling the virtues of our local market, but now I am seriously entrenched. It won’t be secret for long that my husband now has a booth there, too.

I don’t want to show too much favoritism, so let me tell you about some of the other booths that are well kept secrets first.

Really, any booth in the West Wing section of the market could be missed by the unaware. Don’t let that happen to you. This week you would have missed the chance to get some chaga, a local medicinal mushroom. You might miss getting some of the composted manure tea from Shadley Farms to make your plants happy.

The West Wing also boasts the Children’s Activity Area as well as the Kids Vending Day on the first and third Saturdays. Hopefully this week you got some of little Eryn Field’s painted ladybugs or you’ll have to wait two weeks for her return. (See photo on page 2 of this section.)

Another treasure the West Wing harbors is nutritionist Jen Dixon with her gluten-free pancake mixes and raw snacks. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about her recipes, such as about her cabbage sauerkraut and mixed vegetable kraut and the live nutrition it carries. Eve over at Stellar Gardens also knows the secret benefits of fermented vegetables and offers up a delicious beet and carrot mix.

There is more prepared food at the market this year than ever. In the West Wing you will find the A La Carte Café’s famous halibut tacos perfectly spiced.

Walking through the market you also find the fish and chips and soup that the Fresh Catch Café creates with the same gusto as at their fine restaurant.

For your perfect hot brew, you can choose between coffee from Catch-a-Snack or Coal Towne. You can simply get anything from hot dogs to fresh Kachemak Bay oysters.

And, if you want to meet my husband, get yourself a wood-fired pizza from the Pizza Wagon.

So head down to Ocean Drive this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. where good food is no secret.

Kyra Wagner is the director of Sustainable Homer and the Homer Farmers’ Market’s biggest fan.